Cotton bat feeding machine



Oct'. 18, 1932. F. N. Ross l 1,882,944

COTTON BAT FEEDING MACHINE INVENTOR Oct. 18, 1932. v F. N. Ross 1882944 COTTON BAT EEDING MACHINE Filed Octv 6, 1950 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY.)`

Oct. 18, 1932. F. N. ROSS 'A coTToN BAT FEEDING MAGHIME Filed oci. e. 195o e sheets-sheet s n. ai

ATTORN EY5 Oct. 18, 1932. F. N. Ross 1,882,944

COTTON BAT FEEDING MACHINE Filled Oct. 6, 1930 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 m w, w TMW@ -M ,A m IIT! Am .om a fr Oct. 18, 1932.

F.` N. Ross COTTON BAT'FEEDING MACHINE Filed Oct. 6. 1930 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 l: I' l INVENToR j )ze u/er/c A( 55 @Lm/)awww ATTO RN EYS Oct. 18, 1932. F. N. Ross 1,382,944

coTToN BAT FEEDING4 MACHINE INVENTOR ATTORNEY 5 l plify, render more efficient 40 \v,iew of a cushion or upholste Patented ou. r18,'l 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FREDERICK N. BOSS, OF DETOIT, IICHIGA-N, ASSIGNOB, BY MEBNE ASSIGNMENTS, T0 BBIGGS MANUFACTURING COHIANY, OF DETBOIIT, IIGHIGAN, A CORPORATION F IICHIGAH oo'r'ron B1* rammed MACHINE Application tiled Uotober 8, 1930. Serial No. 486,807.

This invention relates to cushion forming mechanism and more particularly to cotton bat feeding mechanismfor use in machines of this character.

While the structure 'forming the particular subject matter of this inventlon may be employed with facility in connection with various types of cushion sewing or upholstery forming mechanism, it finds particular utility in connection with the general form and arrangement of cushion forming mechanism shown and described in my co-pending joint application, Serial No. 490,034. y

It is one of the primary objects of this invention to provide a mechanism for supporting and cont strips of cotton bat and for simultaneously presenting a plurality of strips of cotton bat in predetermined relation and association with the finish and lining fabrics of the cushion to the sewing mechanism..

Another object of this invention is to simand improve generally structures of this character. y

Another object of the invention is to provide mechanism of this character wherein the strips of cotton bat may be fed to .the associated mechanism of the cushion formin machine in timed relation thereto and in suc a manner asto prevent a of the strips due to the tudinal tensioning of the strips.-

The above and other objects, advantages and novel details of construction of this invenld tion will be made more apparent as this description proceeds, especially when considere in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevational forming or sewing mechanism constructed 1n accordance with my invention with my improved cotton v bat feeding mechanism associated therewith;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the structure illustrated inFigure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary verticgl sectional view taken substantially on the line indicated by 3-3 in Figure 4;

ed fragmentary ver- 'Figure 4 is an enlar en substantially on tical sectional view ta muously feeding a plurality of c rupture or breaking dragging or longi` theplane indicated by line 4-4 in Figure 3; Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of a portion of the machine showing more in detail the drive mechanism; Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectionalview taken substantially on the plane indicated by line 6 6 in Figure 1; Figure 7 is a side elevational view of the structureillustrated in Figure 6;

Figure 8 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on the planeindicated by line 8-8 in Figure 1;

Figure 9 is -an enlarged fra entary vertical sectional view taken suxtiantially on the plane indicated byline 9-9 in Figure 1;

. F1 re 10 is a fragmentary horizontal sectiona view taken substantially on the plane indicated byline 10'-1O in Figure 4, and

Fi re 11 is a vertical fragmentary sectiona view taken substantially on the plane indicated by line 11--11 in Figure 4.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings wherein like reference characters indicate like parts and more especially to Figures 1 and 5, it will be noted that there is illustrated the adjacent end of the cushion sewing or forming mechanism which, as will appear more fully hereinafter, includes the fnlsh and lining fabric forming mechanisms, the cotton bat breaker mechanism`and the sewing mechanism. This port'- n of the machine also includes a driving eans for 'the several units'of the machine including the riving 4means for the cotton bat feeding mechanism forming the particular subject of this` invention.

In the drawings the reference character 10 indicates the frame of the machine upon which, see particularly Fi re 1, is mounted a motor 11 driving a pul ey12 with which a belt 13 engages.A This belt drives a pulley 14 mounted on a shaft 15 which extends intoa housing or casing 16 within which is contained a standard type of reduction gearing not shown). The live or driven shaft of this ence character 17. A 'chain 18 driven directly by the shaft drives through gearing 19 a sewing head or mechanism operating shaft '95 reduction gearing is indicated by the refer-` The shaft 17 is provided beyond or inside the frame 10 with a sprocket wheel 21 with which a chain 22 engages, this chain passing around a sprocket wheel 23 keyed to a shaft 24. for driving the main conveyor of the machine. Arranged on shaft 17 eXteriorly of the frame 10 is a sprocket wheel 25 with which a chain 26 engages. This chain passes around a plurality of driving sprockets which include sprocket 27 keyed to shaft l28 for driving the front roll of the machine. The chain then passes around sprocket 29 keyed to the end of the lower cotton bat breaker shaft 30, this being the continuously driven shaft of the cot' ton breaker mechanism illustrated and described more fully in my copending application, Serial No. 461,556. The chain then passes around sprocket 31 which drives foundation forming mechanism shaft 32. From sprocket 31 the chain passes around sprocket 33 keyed to shaft 34 employed for driving the cloth forming device. The chain 26 then passes around an idler sprocket 35 and thence back around sprocket 25'.

. As seen best in Figure 3, cotton bat breaker shaft 30 extends transversely of the machine being rotatably journaled in the frame 10. The other end of breaker shaft 30 is drivingly connected by the upper cotton bat breaker sha-ft 37 which is adapted to be intermittently operated, the driving connection 36 between the shafts being capable of automatic operation per1od1- cally for stopping the operation of shaft 37 for predetermined intervals.' The means for effecting this intermittent operation of the upper breaker shaft 37 is illustrated and described in detail in my co-pending appllcation, Serial No. 461,556.

Fixed to shaft 37 (see particularly Figure 3) is a sprocket wheel 38 with which a chain 39 engages. The two 'flights 0f this chain pass around idler sprockets 40 and 41 and one flight thereof passes around an adjust able idler sprocket 42 whereby the slack in chain 39 may be taken up.

The reference character 43 indicates a frame in the nature of a superstructure mounted upon frame 10 and rotatably journaled in'this frame 43 at one side of the machine, is a shaft 44 having fixed thereto a sprocket 45 with which chain 39 engages. The other end of this shaft has fixed thereto a gear 46 meshing with an idler gear 47 which in turn meshes with a gear 48 fixed to the end of cotton bat conveyor drive shaft 49.- This shaft extends transversely of the machine as best illustrated in Figure 3 and is rotatably journaled in the superstructure frame members 43. This shaft has keyed thereto a plurality of driving sprockets 50 arranged preferably adjacent the ends of this shaft. These sprocket-s drive.; the cotton bat conveyor indicated generally by the reference character 51 means of gearing 36 to in a manner to be more fully hereinafter described. F

The reference character 52 indicates a pair of uprights of a conveyor supporting structure and 53 a pair of shorter uprights connected to uprights 52 by horizontal frame members` 54.

. Vertically adjustably mounted on each up- The ends of shaft 59 are rotatably journaled in bearings 63 fixed to the supporting brackets 55 whereas the stub shafts 64 supporting the idler sprocket 62 are adjustably mounted upon their respective brackets 55 by pin and slot connections 65, see particularly Fi ure 1. Thus, the slack in the lower flight o the belt may be taken up. Suspended below the bracket 55 is a roller 66 over Vwhich the sheet of lining or foundation fabric L passes. This roller 66 is supported at its ends respectively by brackets 67 adjustably connected by pinv and slot connection 68 with the bracket 55. A considerable part of this structure is shown in detail in Figure 8.

yThe forward end of the conveyor belt 51 passes around the sprockets 50 mounted on shaft 49 supported in the frame members 43. Supporting gears 69 are provided in the frame members 43 connected by transversely .extending crossy rods 70. Mounted on each of these cross rods is a plate member 71 which provides supports for the forward ends of track-ways 72 and 73 in the form of bars upon which the chain 61 of the belt-like conveyor 51 slide. The track-ways 72 and 73 support the upper and lower flights of the conveyor respectively. The rear end of these trackways 72 and 73 are supported by a similar plate 74 supported in turn on a transverse rod 75 corresponding to rod 70 and supported by ears 76 carried by brackets 55. The ends of the track-ways 73 supported by the plate 74 are adjustably connected thereto by means of pin and slot connection 77.

The right hand ends of track-ways 57 and 58v as viewed in Figure 1 are supported by bracket plates 78.

Mounted on the top of uprights 53 are bear` ing blocks 79 `rotatably supporting a trans! verse extending shaft 80 to which are keyed sprockets 81 for engaging the sprocket chain 61 of the conveyor belt. From the heretofore described construction it will be apparent thatthe endless belt-like conveyor 51 is driven from its forward end through shaft 49 and sprockets 50, the conveyor partaking during approximately half of its length of a substantially horizontal flight and durin the other half of its length of an inclined ight.

- The inclined portion extends in a downward direction and terminates substantially intermediate of a vertical cotton bat rollsupporting frame or cotton reel, indicated generally by the reference character 82. On this frame, in a mannerto be more fully hereinafter referred to, a plurality of rolls of cotton bat are adapted to be supported, these rolls con# stituting the cotton bat supply for the strips 'fed to the cushion forming mechanism by the.

feedin means being herein described.f

Whi e obviously the roll supporting frame ma be of any desired construction, 1t prefera ly consists of a plurality of transversely and longitudinally spebced u rights 83 upon which are mounted a plurality of horizontally arranged cotton reel brackets 84. These brackets 84 are arranged in vertically s aced tiers, horizontally aligned extending ongitudinally of the cotton reel frame 82 as will be most fully understood by comparison of Figures 1 and 2. Each horizontal tier comprlses a. plurality of longitudinally extending roll shafts 85, herein shown as four in number, each shaft having fixed thereto a plurality of rolls 86, there being three longitudinally spaced sets of'rolls 86 as seen most clearly in Figure 2. The axes of the shafts 85 are arranged on a substantially semi-circular member so that the periphery of the rolls mounted thereon provlde a substantial cradle in which the roll of cotton bat indicated as B, may rest. The rolls 86 are all driven simultaneously .atv the same speed and in the same direction and for this pur ose the corresponding ends of all of the sha ts 85 of each horizontal tier are provided with pinions 87 ada ted to mesh with intermediately arranged idlers 88. -Shaft 85', this being the shaft to the left of the lowermost tier, is extended and has keyed thereto a gear 89 meshing with an idler gear 90 which in turnmeshes with a gear 91-on a shaft 92.-

This shaft, particularly Figure 2) is provided with a sprocket wheel 93 with which a sprocket chain 94 en ages, this chain engaging a sprocket 95 on t eend of shaft 80, (see particularly Figure 2).

In'the structure thus far described, all of the rolls of the' lowermost tier will be driven in chronism as will be apparent. The rolls o the tier next abovemay be drivingly connected to the lowermost tier of rolls by extending one of `the shafts 85 and fixing thereto a sprocket wheel 96, with which a sprocket chain 97 engages, this sprocket chain engagin a sprocket wheel 98 xed to one of the shats 85 of the tier arranged im,- mediately above. In a similar manner the other tiers of rolls are each driven from the tier arranged? immediately therebeneath, so

4the other row so that the properlongitudinal l that all of the rolls are simultaneously driven at the same uniform speed and in the same direction, so that the rolls of cotton bat B supported thereon may be rotated in a direct timing to unwind the same. 70

Due to the unwinding action of the rolls l of cotton bat B, the cotton bat is fed to the upholstery forming mechanism or toward the left.in Figures 1 and 2 without longitudinally tensioning the cotton bat strips. A plurality of supporting or guiding chutes 100 are provided, one for each roll of cotton bat,`these chutesconsisting of shallow panlike members of a width equal to the width of the Cotton bat vroll at oneend, and converging toward 'the other end, each into a reduced end 101 substantially the width of the cotton bat strip. The discharge ends of. these chutes are also supported and posi* tioned as to discharge the cotton bat stri s upon the upwardly inclined portion oft e conveyor belt 51 which in turn conveys the cotton bat strips, also without imparting longitudinal tension thereto, toward the upholster forming mechanism. The bat strips after leaving the conveyor 51 pass vdownwardly over a roll 102 and into guide tubes 103, see Figures 4, 10 and 1l. There is a guide tube 103 provided for each cotton bat strip as will be apparent, these tubes acting to accurately guide and locate the bat strips with respect to the cotton bat feeding means which in turn introduces the bat strips into the tubes or plaits of the upholsteryas the same are produced.

As will be seen from Figures 10 and 11, the guide tubes 103l are arranged preferably 1n two parallel rows, the tubes of each row being staggered with respect to the tubes of s acing may be accomp shed. To removably and adjustably support the guide tubes 103, -I provide a transversely extending supporting rod or member 104 mounted upon suitable brackets 105 at opposite sides of the 110 machine. Each guide tube 103 is provlded with an angularly extending bracket 106 havinga hook-shaped end 107 adapted' to engage the support 104 between spaced collars 108. With this construction, the guide tubes 103 115. may be properly spaced transversely ofthe machine as willnbeobvious and may be removed when access to parts below these tubes becomes necessary. As seen most clearly from Fi waudly through the guide tubes 103 and are engaged by the cottonbat feeding rolls 109. By means of these rolls the cotton bat is foroibly fed -to the upholstery forming mecha-- nism and by suitably operatin these feeding rolls, as more fully describe -in copending application, Serial No. 461,556 the cotton bat is periodically-severed or broken f orvreasons which appear more fully in the said copendl ing application. Y t

alsy

re 4, 'the cotton bat strips B pass down- 12uV v As seen in Figure 4, the finish or top fabric F of the cushion or upholstery is presented to the upholstery forming mechanism by means of the main conveyor' 110 and the cot- .5 ton bat strips B are deposited thereon. The bottom or lining fabric L is presented by forming mechanisml indicated generally by the reference character 111 and deposited on top of the cotton bat strips B and the finish or top fabric F. The reference character 112 .indicates generally the sewing mechanism by means of which the finish fabric F and lining fabric L are united to produce longitudinal plaits or tubes. The completed upholstery after leavin the sewing mechanism 112 passes around rol 113 and is conducted away. It will be understood that the rolls B of cotton bat are deposited upon the cradles formed by the sets of rolls 86 which sets of rollers peripherally engage the cotton bat rolls and upon being rotated, unreel the bat rolls by reason of their frictional contact` therewlth.

By reference to Figures 1, 2, 6 and 7 it will .25 be noted that there are provided longitudinal guides 115 with which the spindles 116 of the bat rolls engage. These vertical guides prevent the lateral displacement of the bat rolls during the unreeling thereof but permit the vertical displacement thereof due to the decreasing siz of the bat rolls as they are unwound. It is obvious that with this construction the bat rolls which are rather large and cumbersome may be quickly and conveniently placed or stacked in the unreeling frame.` I

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that I have provided means where-x by the necessary number of rolls of cotton bat 4D may be supported and the strips of cotton bat B from all of the rolls simultaneously fed to the upholstery forming mechanism without imparting longitudinal strain to 'the bat strips. This enables the use of ordinary cot. ton bat strips, thus making it unnecessary to use cotton bat strips rovided with interiorly arranged long1tu inalreinforcing or strengthening means as has -been customary in machines of this eneral character heretofore employedf oreover, in view ofthe fact that the feed of the bat strips is timed with respect to the rest of the mechanism, each strip of cotton bat will be presented to the forming mechanism without being longi- '55 mglinally stretched or compressed therefore enabling the production of tubular upholstery of remarkable uniformity.

While the embodiment of this invention herein specifically illustrated and described C3 has been found in practice to give good re sults, nevertheless it will be apparent to those skilled. in this art that many changes andrearrangements-of all of the non-essential de tails of construction may be resorted to With- G5 out departing from the spirit and scope of ers mounted on said frame, each set of rollthe invention and to this end reservation is made to make such chan esas may come without the purview of t e accompanying claims.

What I claim as my invention is: .70

1. Cotton bat feeding means for use in combination with upholstery forming machines and the like comprising a plurality of sets of rollers forming cradles to peripherally support rolls of cotton bat, means for rotating said rollers to rotate said cotton bat rolls in a direction tolunreel the same, a' conveyor driven in timed relation with said rollers and guiding chutes for conducting the unwound strips from each roll to said conveyor whereby the strips of cotton hat will be bodilypresented to the upholstery forming mechanism without longitudinally tensioning said strips.

2. In`upholstery forming mechanism, the' 85 combination with means for presenting strips of cotton bat between finish and lining fabrics, of feeding means for said cotton bat including, a roll supporting frame, longitudinal'ly and vertically spaced sets of rollers mounted on said frame, each set of rollers being arranged to form a roll supporting cradle to receive and support a roll of cotton bat by engagement with a portion of its periphery, means for interconnecting the rolls of each set and each set of rolls with one another, and means for driving said rollers to unreel saidw rolls 'of cotton bat.

3. In upholstery forming mechanism, the combination with means for presenting strips of cotton bat between finish and lining fabrics, of` feeding means for said cotton bat including, a roll supporting frame, longitudinally and vertically spaced sets of rollers being arranged to form a roll supporting cradle to receive and support a` roll of cotton bat by engagement with a portion of its.l periphery, means for interconnecting the rolls of each set and each set of ro'lls with 'one another, means for driving said rollers to unreel said rolls of cotton bat,7 an endless conveyor and means for depositing the unwound strips from said rolls on to said con.

veyor.

4. In upholstery forming mechanism, the combination with means for'presenting stri s of cotton bat between finish and lining fa rics, of feeding means for said cotton bat including, a roll supporting frame, longitudinally and vertically spaced sets of rollers mounted on said frame, each set of rollers being 'arranged to form a roll supporting cradle to receive and support a roll of cotton bat by engagement with a portion of its periphery, means for interconnecting the rolls of each kset and each set of rolls with one another, means for driving said rollers to unreel said rolls of cotton bat, and endless conveyor and means for depositing the un- 513' wound strips from said rolls on to said conthe sewing mechanism between sheets of fin- Y ish and lining fabrics, means for feeding the cotton bat including a cotton bat roll supportin frame, a plurality of sets of rollers journa ed on said frame, each set of rollers having their axes arranged in a substantially semi-circular plane to provide a roll supporting cradleadapted to peripherally engage a roll of cotton bat, means associated with each set of rollers for engagement with the spindle of each roll to prevent lateral while permitting vertical movement of said roll, and means for driving the rollers of each set, for the purpose set forth.

6. In mechanism of the 4class described, cotton bat feeding means including, a frame,

a plurality of sets of rollers, each set of rollers being arranged to provide a cradle adapted to peripherally engage and support a roll of cotton bat, means engaging the spindle of each roll to prevent its displacement from said cradle upon being unreeled, an endless conveyor, guiding chutes associated` with each set ofrollers for guiding the unreeled strip of cotton bat and depositing the same on to said conveyor, and means for actuating said endless conveyor and said rollers in timed relation, as and for the purpose set forth.

7. In upholstery forming mechanism, cotton bat feeding means including, a frame, a

rollers of each set so that they may be simultaneously driven in the same direction, the rotation of the rollers of each set acting .by frictional engagement with said cotton bat roll to, unreel the same, means interconnecting each set of rollers so that they may be simultaneously rotated, an endless conveyor upon which the unreeled strips of cotton bat are deposited, a guide chute associated with each set 'of rollers for directing the strip of cotton bat on to said conveyor and means driving said conveyor in timed relation to i said sets of rollers. V Y,

In testimony whereof I aiiix mv si ature.

FREDERICK OSS. 

